There’s no shortage of to-do list apps out there. I mean, everyone has things to do, and we all seem to need help getting them done.
But not every to-do list is created equally.
Your phone has a to-do list app. Your computer has a to-do list. But it’s how that to-do list works with other apps you use that is key. For example, does your project task management software at work come with a personal to-do list? Are you able to import your to-do lists as tasks for you or your team, or are you always juggling multiple lists in multiple places?
You can streamline all those lists! We’ve outlined 3 key features you should look for when shopping for your next to-do list app:
Essential Features for Your To-do list
You might have a method for managing your own to-do list, but if you’re a busy professional then that’s just the first step in your day. Even if you use one of the aforementioned one-off apps, your digital pocket is going to get cramped. Wouldn’t it be great to have everything in one place?
Of course, it would, and it can. If you have an online project management software, your to-do list is now incorporated into your everyday work life. That creates a seamless, easy and more efficient way to stay on top of all your tasks.
When you’re shopping for a to-do list app why not first see if it has these three features. If it doesn’t, you probably don’t want it. Then take a look at your project management software. Does it have these tools? It’s better, or it’s time to upgrade.
1. Supports Work-Life Balance
There’s a lot of talk about the importance of not having work monopolize all your time, but leaving yourself a personal life. A happy worker is a productive worker. It’s said that a project leader should work to make their team happy.
One way to do that is by giving them the tools to manage both their work tasks and their home tasks. It’s unrealistic and not even good business to expect a team member to be on the clock every second their in the office. They need breaks, time to make personal phone calls, even steep out into the daylight and maybe get a bite to eat or buy something nice.
Therefore, with a project management software that has a to-do list with privacy settings you and your team can stay on the same page and the doctor’s appointment or your kid’s school presentation are only a click away.
2. Integrates with Other Tools
Your personal to-do list may also be important to your work to-do list. Let’s say a team member is not going to be available one day because of that doctor’s appointment. You need to know that in order to have someone else take over the absentee member’s tasks or make sure their absence isn’t blocking the progress of the project.
By having a to-do list that can be integrated into your software, you can prepare for these temporary disruptions and act accordingly. Your team member should be able to access the software anywhere and at any time because it’s online. Then with the collaborative features notify you about their appointment.
With the integrated software, it’s easy to then adjust your project tasks, move around the necessary files and even mark the dark on the shared calendar so the information is quickly and simply disseminated among your team. A simple to-do list can’t do this. By incorporating your to-do list into a more robust project management software you’ve just removed several unnecessary steps.
3. Managing Teams
To-do lists are really just smaller task lists. With the to-do list being a part of a larger suite of software tools you can apply your to-do list to the product without having to make the process more complicated than it needs to be.
Having everything under one roof, so to speak, means that you can combine different tasks you’ve assigned to your team and items on your to-do list that relate to those specific tasks into the various parts of your project management software, whether that be in your schedule or your reports or your files. It’s all there, moved as easily as a keystroke.
Having to-do lists seamlessly part of your larger project management software makes inviting people a breeze, as well. You can send them invites, give them full or partial access to the software and start assigning them tasks or sending them reports. It’s a great way to manage your team and even your stakeholders.
Be More Productive and Efficient
A to-do list is a great tool, too great not to have it adaptable to your larger project management software. By having a to-do list that reaches into every aspect of your work you are more efficient and productive. That means less time doing busy work, and more time meeting deadlines within your budget.
If you’re looking for an integrated software suite that includes a to-do list and all the other bells and whistles you use daily when leading a project, then try ProjectManager. The online collaborative tool is crafted for project managers and offers real-time dashboard views of the progress of your project. Take a 30-day free trial and see for yourself.
